Freepiston Stirling Engines

Tin-: following chapter was contributed by William Bcalc, President, Sunpower Inc., Athens, Ohio, Heale invented the frcc-piston Stirling engine in the late 1950s while a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Ohio. Over the next dccadc. with remarkably single-minded dedication, he developed the concept to an operational stage. In the university environment he was unable to secure adequate funds to develop the frcc-piston engine commercially and so lie founded the company he now leads. Sunpower is unique as the only company in the world in commercial production of Stirling engines. Their best known machine is the small free-piston engine demonstrator available as a water pump, electric power generator, or a refrigeration pump. Sunpower's principal business is research and development work «in advanced free-piston Stirling engine developments, some of which are discussed below.

The solar Stirling engine is progressively becoming a viable alternative to solar panels for its higher efficiency. Stirling engines might be the best way to harvest the power provided by the sun. This is an easy-to-understand explanation of how Stirling engines work, the different types, and why they are more efficient than steam engines.